Blues’ Noriega leads league in RBIs

Aug 07, 2023

Bristol Blues file photo

Gavin Noriega has been one of the most reliable and productive pieces of this season’s Bristol Blues team. Despite the Blues up and down mobility throughout the standings this year, one piece that has been consistent game in and game out has been Noriega.

Noriega, the Bronx, New York native, has been crushing it at home plate. The Blues infielder is currently leading the league in RBIs at 27, 11 better than anyone else on the Blues. Noriega also ranks in the top 15 in the league in batting average and just outside of the top 10 at eleventh in runs.

Noriega has certainly provided a spark for a struggling Blues team within his first season with the Blues.

“It’s been a great environment playing with the Blues this season,” Noriega said. “Seeing the fans come out every night and having them support us and having a good coach that cares about our results and wins, it’s just a great environment all around.”

He said despite the inconsistency, specifically in one-score games, the Blues have been playing well throughout the season. He said the New England Collegiate Baseball League is a pitcher heavy league and filled with good pitchers.

“This is a pitchers league. There’s a lot of good pitchers that come in and out of these divisions,” he said. “Consistently seeing hard throwing arms every night with good secondaries has been a struggle at times to get the barrel on the ball, but if we just string a couple hits along we’ll be fine.”

Noriega individually hasn’t had that much trouble finding the ball this season. The junior from Bryant University is currently second on the team in batting average at .298 behind only Jordan Peyton, who sits at .305. Noriega is first in runs at 14 and also first in hits with 34.

In Bristol’s most recent matchup at Keene. Noriega helped lead the charge over the Swamp Bats in an 11-6 win that put them back in prime position to take over the Western Division.

Noriega went one for five with 2 RBI and 1 run.

Bristol currently sits at 16-15-3 with the Valley Blue Sox in first with a record of 19-16-1. The Danbury Westerners dropped back down to third place with a record of 18-18.

Noriega said when it comes to his batting approach he looks to see fastballs more often than not since the NECBL is a pitcher-heavy league. He said if they don’t throw fastballs he’ll more than likely take a pitcher that’s low and in or middle and in.

“Every team needs a spark plug and just getting one guy on base can change the entire impact of the game and the players mindsets,” he said. “It's huge to be the battery of the team and to be able to start something.”